“Dear Christmas” is a delightful, entertaining Christmas telefilm starring two well-known talents that many of us grew up watching, Melissa Joan Hart and Jason Priestley! How cool is that?!
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TITLE: Dear Christmas
FILM YEAR: 2020
DURATION: 88 Minutes
BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition
COMPANY: Lifetime Television
RATED: TV-G
RELEASE DATE: 2020
Directed by Emily Moss Wilson
Written by Juliet Giglio, Keith Giglio
Executive Producer: Leslie Gilliams
Produced by Paula Hart
Line Producer: Jemma Jones
Music by Felix Bird
Cinematography by Ryan Galvan
Edited by Rob Pallatina
Casting by Valerie McCaffrey
Production Design by Robert Wise
Set Decoration by Courtney Benson
Costume Design by Sally Kruse, Marlon Mizrahi
Starring:
Melissa Joan Hart as Natalie Morgan
Jason Priestley as Chris Massey
Ed Begley Jr. as Randy Morgan
Faith Prince as Jenny Morgan
Nicky Whelan as Emma
Robin Givens as Penny
Natalie Morgan (Melissa Joan Hart) is the host of a popular podcast, Holiday Love, which shares true stories of holiday romance with its listeners. While to the outside world and her listeners everywhere see Natalie is an expert on romance, she’s never truly experienced a romance of her own. As Natalie prepares to embark on a promotional tour for her new book, she stops back home to spend Christmas with her family where she unexpectedly begins to experience her own holiday romance as sparks ignite with local firefighter, Chris (Jason Priestley). Dear Christmas also stars Robin Givens, Ed Begley Jr. & Faith Prince and includes cameos by Jamie and Doug Hehner (Married at First Sight: Couples Cam) and Hilarie Burton and Antwon Tanner (One Tree Hill).
As I continue on with my holiday film marathon, the second film I am watching is the Lifetime Television holiday film “Dear Christmas”.
And for me, this was pretty cool because it features talents that I pretty much grew up watching.
Melissa Joan Hart (“Sabrina the Teenage Witch”, “Clarissa Explains it All”, “Melissa & Joey”), Jason Priestley (“Beverly Hills 90210”, “Private Eyes”, “Call Me Fitz”), Faith Prince (“Melissa & Joey”, “Drop Dead Diva”, “Spin City”), Ed Begley Jr., Nicky Whelan and Robin Givens (“Batwoman”, “Rivderdale”, “Head of the Class”), to name a few.
Melissa Joan Hart has starred in a Christmas film nearly every year since she first starred in “The Santa Con” back in 2014, and her latest film “Mistletoe in Montana” is currently in post-production. The film was produced by Hartbreak Films (which is a family owned television and film production company owned by producer Paula Hart and Melissa Joan Hart).
So, with that being said, and I throw this out because my bias of watching this holiday telefilm because of these talents which I grew up watching (and also covered as an entertainment writer), I have to say that this is my first time watching a holiday film with Melissa Joan Hart.
“Dear Christmas” is a film about a popular romance podcaster Natalie Morgan (portrayed by Melissa Joan Hart) who is heading home to Nebraska for the holidays to visit her family, her mother Jenny (portrayed by Faith Prince), her father Randy (portrayed by Ed Begley Jr.) and her very pregnant younger sister, Emma (portrayed by Nicky Whelan).
The company owner Penny (portrayed by Robin Givens) of Earmuffs which produces Natalie’s podcast often talk about true love. Jenny has her thoughts on it but in truth, has never found her true love.
While traveling from Chicago to Lake Tahoe (Nevada) to visit her family, while near home, Jenny has a blown tire and to assist her with her flat tire is Chris Massey (portrayed by Jason Priestley) of Mr. Christmas Towing.
Jenny is able to get to her parents home and spend time with family. When she wakes up, she hears a noise and to her surprise, Chris is setting up Christmas lights at their home (we learn that Chris has a lot of duties such as setting up the Christmas lights for the locals, involved in the fire department, etc.) and we learn that Jenny and Chris went to school each other, but Jenny doesn’t remember Chris all that much.
And as Jenny gets situated in town, she keeps running into Chris, may it be at the cafe, where he’s playing the acoustic guitar (and obviously, not Priestley singing) and each time, the two get to know each other.
And yet, there is a special attraction with each other. Will romance blossom during the holidays between Jenny and Chris?
For the most part, “Dear Christmas” was an entertaining holiday film. If anything, its interesting to see Melissa Joan Hart and Jason Priestley paired together as love interests and for the most part it does work.
There are some moments where the acting was so-so and not so free flowing in a natural kind of sense but I’m not as critical towards these holiday films.
For one, these films do have a banality but that’s what people want to watch these holiday films is for the sight of Christmas, the magic of the season, the illumination, the Christmas trees, the decorations, the drama and of course, its happy endings and sure, there are going to be moments of cheesiness, there is going to be predictable scenes but it’s a banality that people want to see in a holiday telefilm.
Otherwise, if these telefilms were inspired from dramas out of Japan and Korea, one would get heartbreak or something of a horror film. Western audiences have been treated with happy ending holiday telefilms and personally, that’s what makes me drawn to these films. The feeling of the holiday season, the magic, the hope, the drama and the happy ending.
“Cliche” as things may be, for those who don’t like the banality of these holiday films, then avoid these cheerful holiday films, you are not the targeted audience these films are made for. But for those who continue to watch each year for the holiday vibe, then “Dear Christmas” is a holiday film worth checking out!
If anything, knowing that the Hart’s do create family films, one shouldn’t expect Jenny’s character to be like a “Sex in the City” Carrie Bradshaw, with her and her close friends talking about relationships and their romantic escapades. The character of Jenny who is the #1 podcaster in the country, gains attention for her love advice. Problem is, she’s not had true love in her own life. So, will she know true love if it was in front of her?
As for the character of Chris Massey, I found it predictable, once his eyes saw Jenny and he asked her “Don’t you remember me?”.
But for the most part, I did find the pairing of Melissa Joan Hart and Jason Priestley, as pretty cool! And I thought to myself, wouldn’t be cool to see reunions of these ’80s and ’90s TV talents through these Christmas films (heck, even a reunion of Melissa and Joey Lawrence would be very cool!).
Overall, “Dear Christmas” is a delightful, entertaining Christmas telefilm starring two well-known talents that many of us grew up watching, Melissa Joan Hart and Jason Priestley! How cool is that?!
PURCHASE THIS FILM ON AMAZON PRIME
